Northern Ireland

Tackling the ecological crisis at Lough Neagh requires urgent interventions viewed through an environmental justice lens. This approach highlights three key areas: Distributive justice: Issues around ownership and environmental governance. Procedural justice: Gaps in accountability, conflicts of interest, lack of cross-border cooperation, and insufficient public participation in decision-making. Recognition: Addressing the legacy of colonial dispossession. To create a just and...

On 15 January 2025, a public inquiry into the controversial Curraghinalt Gold Mine application in Co. Tyrone was suspended due to the Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure's failure to notify the Irish Government and conduct required transboundary consultation. The mine, the largest in the island's history, is located in an environmentally sensitive area, including the River Foyle and River Finn...

The concept of a just transition has broadened from focusing mainly on protecting workers in high-emission industries to addressing the unequal impacts of climate policies on vulnerable and marginalized groups. Closely tied to ideas of climate justice and equity, it has legal relevance in Ireland and Northern Ireland. In Ireland, just transition principles are indirectly supported under section 3(3) of...

This presentation summarises issues identified in two separate but related collaborative research projects on cross border environmental co-operation and justice issues : 1) “Finding Common Ground” an all-island study of the implementation of the Aarhus Convention in Ireland/Northern Ireland which was conducted collaboratively with Irish and Northern Irish NGOs and academics 2) “Linking the Irish Environment”, this research sought to...

The purpose of this short briefing is to provide an update on recent environmental developments in the aftermath of Brexit and to outline the actual or potential implications for the future of environmental governance in Ireland and Northern Ireland.